Convertible vehicle



April 7, 1925.

J. P. FLETCHER CONVERTIBLE VEHICLE Filed Nov. 24, 192:5k

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,532,128 J.. P. FLETCHER April 7, 1925.

abbo/aunq Patented Apr. 7, 1925. i

unirsi) STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. FLETCHER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

CONVERTIBLE VEHICLE.

Application filed November 24, 1923. Serial No. 676,768.

To all LU/m t may conceive: vehicle body having collapsible sides, ad-55 Be it known that I. Jer-IN l). FLETCHER, justable to form seats,stretcher decks, or major, Medical Corps, United States Army, storagespace, dependent on the usage to and resident of Carlisle, in the countyof which the vehicle is to be placed.

5 Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania, Referring to the accompanyingdrawings have invented a new and useful lmprovein Which correspondingparts are indicated 60 nie'nt in Convertible Vehicles, of which the bysimilar reference characters: i following description, in conjunctionwith F ig. l is a perspective View of the body the accompanyingdrawings, is a specificashowing in dotted outline the side units in 1Ution. seat forming position.

rihis invention described herein may be Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe body used by the Government, or any of its oiii- With top removed,showing one of the side cers or employees in prosecution of Work unitsadjusted to form stretcher deck and for the Government, or by any otherperside rails. y

son in the United States, Without payment Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailin elevato me of any royalty thereon. tion illustrating the units of oneside of the 'l0 This invention generically relates to vehivehicle inseat forming position and showcles, incre particularly to those of thecon ing in dotted outline one of the units in the vertible type,applicable to military service. position to form side rails.

The principal object of this invention is Fig. t is a fragmentary detailillustratingto provide a convertible vehicle, capable of the units ofoneside section in normal or 75 being used as a cargo carrier, apassenger' side forming position. vehicle, an auxiliary ambulance, or acoinbi- F ig..5 is a sectionized fragmentary pernation of these types.spective showing in detail the locking as- Another object of thisinvention is to pro- Sembly fOI' fastening JGlle upper Side unit to videa vehicle body mounted on a standard the double acting hinge.r j 80chassis and quickly convertible by adjust- Fig. 6 is a fragmentarydetail illustratment of its side units in a predetermined 111g lOClmgeSSembly for fastening the reinanner. taining bar to the upper sideunit.

Other objects of this invention are to pro- Flg- 7 S e SeC'OllZedfragmentary detail vide a vehicle body having locking means Partly inelevation illustlfflbng tb@ locking 85 to permanently maintain the sideunits in. assembly between the Teta-111mg bill and 'OOf their adjustedposition; to furnisha con- Supportvertible vehicle embodying severalforms of Fig- 8 is a fragmentary detail illustratbody construction byvirtue of the interlng 1H lOIlb eleVetiOIl the assembly Shownchangeability of its sides, and to eifect a in Fig. 75 and f 9e designin Which the runningboard func- Fig. 9 1s a detail elevation showing thetions as a mud guard and foot rest. SuppOltlIig bar and side brackets.

With these and other objects in view this The VelliCle forming theSubject mattei 0f 40 invention consists in certain novel details thisapplication is designed primarily to of construction, combination andarrange meet the requirements of the Army Mediment of parts t@ be moreparticularly herecal Corps, which frequently necessitates a inni-ter Sgtforth and Claimed, vehicle convertible to carry equipment, per- Theprevailing designs of military vehi- SOIlIlel 0I' Serve eS en ambulance.

cles are suoli if applicable to ambulance In the illustrated embodimentcharacterservice they are unsuited for other, espeizing this., inventionthere is showna body cia-ily cargo carrying purposes. It isthereconsisting of'a floor (l) on which are foi-e the aiin and purposeof this invention mOuIled et Speeed intervals uplghts V(2) to provide avehicle, Which under normal ftelleklat llel upper ends t0 loof beams 5Uconditions, may be employed to transport (3) WlllCll leiter SUPPOF alOOf Cover- Medical Department material and personnel 111g (4)- 195 andin an emergency utilized as an auxiliary At either side of the body arepermanent ambulance. and convertible side units (5), (6) and (7):

Briefly stated, this invention comprises a The forward end of the bodyis closed by a permanent end wall (8) extending from the tloor to theroof and containing a small window In front oit this wall is the drirersseat (10) extending the entire width of the body. A continuation of the:Flooring in iront oit seat (10) forms the iioor board (11) and dash(12).

Rearward of the body is mount-ed a hinged tail gate (13) which may besupported in any desired position by a chain (111-) or other similarelement. Extending parallel to the body slightly above the 'floor levelare running boards held in position by suitable braces (1G).

Coming now to the important feature oit this invention, the sideconstruction, it will be seen the latter involves three units, lowerintermediate. (6) and upper unit The lower or permanent side unitI (5)extends parallel ot the vehicle and overlies the lower portion ofupriglits (2) to which it is aflixed.

The intermediate side unit normally rests on the upper edge oi unit andthe two units at points adjacent their abutting edges, are pivotallyconnected by equally spaced strap hinges (17). The uppermost unit.(7)normally rests on the upper edge oft unit (6) and these two units arehingeably connected by a plurality ot externally mounted hinge bars (18)hingeably connected at their 'tree ends to intermediate side unit (6)and upper side unit by hinge brackets (19) kand straps (20) respectively, as clearly shown in ligure 3 of the drawings. Manitestly, withthis construction the upper unit (7) may be placed either in the full ordotted line positions shown in Figures 3 and et.

Upper side unitsl (7) are 'formed with an upper'andrlower series otalining transversely extending openings V(21) and (22) adapted toreceivethe notched studs or uprights (2).4 intermediate side units (G) areprovided with a series ot alining trans- Yersel i extendincf o ienincs25 ada ated to D t receive notched studs (2e).

- Vhen units (7) are in the position shown in tull lines in figure S,studs (23) project through openings and are engaged by the latch (26).

Althougl'i "arious devices may be utilized to lock the several studs,hereinbe'fore mentioned, in position, a very satisfactory latchingassembly consists oi an apertured bed plate (2,7) and a similarlyapertured keeper (28) slidably mounted on the bed piste and adapted toengage the notched end of the stud as it is projected througl'i theopenings in the plate and keeper. A. series or' latches of the type justdefined and illustrated in Figure 5, are mounted on the inner surta-re,o1n unit (7) in operative relaoit the vehicle with their iree endsrestingI (2li), the tormer extending Vtromhinge' 'bars (1S) and thelatter projecting from the tion with respect to ea., Y (21) as clearlyshown in Figures and I f the drawin s. The retaining rods nected attheir upper entre eyes which in turn root beams (3). as shown i rods attheir lower e' tened end contain a transre se ape forming bed plateswhich are pif-ori slidable keepers to engage the i studs, which projecteither 'trom units or from the uprights (2). ing assembly on the treeends or rods (2%)) is identical to the L j inbe'tore described with theXcepon o,- bed plate which in this case is termed egral with the lowerend ot the retain rod.

The intermediate units when in horizontal position are supported by atransversely extending beam and the similarly disposed supporting barsSun porting bars are linked at one end tti the upper extremities etvertifally disposed brackets (3l), suitably mounted in spaced relationalongl one side, or a ternatcly on either side of the vehicle; thealternate arrangement being` shown in the drawings Figure 1, Theremaining extremities of the supporting bars (33) are provided with a.de )ending li i 35 which is cetachabl i connected with the upper endsot brackets (256) which are oppositely positioned with respect tobrackets as clearly shown in Figure 9 ot the drawings. `When the treoends ot the supporting bars are disengaged ifi?) 'from the upper ends otthe brackets (3(5) said bars may be disposed along either si l05 on theflooring.

flu

'upper edges with project-ing studs (S7).

The latches ot' the retaining rods (2U) when engaging these studs (237)hold the unit (7) in the upright position shown in solid lines in FigurelVhen unit (T) is in the position shown by dotted lines in .Figure 3transverse openings (22) register with the outwardly projecting studs(24), and the units are locked in this position by means ot the latrhes(38) ot the retaining rods (25)). Then the side wall units (6) and (7)are in the position shown in Figure er, the transverse openincs (25) otthe intr-rif" mediate units (t3), r r with the struis (24) which projectL...rethrough and locked in position by llO partnient (38) with door(40) containing' a tank (al). rlhis tank is provided with a faucet,filler opening and cap. A handle enables the tank to be slid out throughthe door opening to permit the faucet to clear the running board. r y

The convertibility ot the body' to its three principal vehicle types isaccomplished by virtue ol the interchangeability in the relativepositions oit `its side walls. lllhen the body is to used as a cargocarrier the side wall units and (6) Vare held in a super in'iposedvertical position against the uprights (2) by means ol 'the retainingbars as shown in Figures l and 4t.

liilheu the body' .is to be used as a passengei" vehicle the upper u'nit(7) is' locked to the hinge bars (ltlfand held in the upright positionshown in Figure 8 by retaining rods (29), which are latched to the studs(37) projecting trom the upper edge ot the units (T). The upper andintermediate units ot' either side oit the vehicle when held in thisposition torni seats bach to back, running the length ot the vehicle;when in this position the running boarns (l5) function as toot rests. Toenclose the vehicle when used in this form the side curtains may bedrawn as shown in Figure 2.

`When the vehicle is to be used as an ambulance the intermediate sidemembers (6) are inclined to a horizontal position resting on thesupporting bars and the upper side units are retained against the rootsupports (2) by retaining rods (29) as shown in Figures 2 and 3. lllhenthe intermediate and upper units (6) and (7) respectively are supportedin. this position, a vehicle body is formed having an upper declr andside rails, Stretchers may be carried on the lower deck which consistsoit the `tloorof the vehicle and also on the upper decir formed by theintermediate side units (6). Vilhcn the lower decir is in use,ventilation must be provided tor the occupants and therei'ore sireenedport holes with a slidable closure are provided at the forward ends otthe lower side members (5).

Then the lower, intermediate and upper side units (5, 6 and 7)respectively, are superimposed upon each other edge to edge as shown inFigure 1, and locked in this position by means of the retaining rods(29), and the supporting bars are laid back against the side walls, theinterior olf the vehicle is then free from any obstruction and thereforewell adapted to be used as a cargo carrier.

In view of the above it is manifest this invention provides an extremelyeilicient vehicle for military services and one which may be readilyconverted, when occasion demands, to the various uses hereinbeforeoutlined.

vAlthough in the foregoing certain elecollapsible inents have beendescriba best adapted to perform the functions allotted to them,nevertheless it is to be understood that 'zirious minor changes may beresorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departingtrom or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having described my invention what .l claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is: Y y

l. ln a vehicle of the class described the combination with a body; of aside closure collapsible intermediate its longitudinal edges to torniupper and lower units normally disposed with their adjacent edges inabutting relation, means pivotally inter connecting the upper portionsof the respe tive units to permit adjustment of one unit to a horizontaland the other to a plane inclined with respect to the horizontal. andmeans to effect securement of the respective units in their adjustedposition.

lin' a vehicle of the class described the combination with a body; ol aside closure collapsible inter nediate its edges to form. upper andlower units normally positioned with their adjacent edges in abuttingrelation, means pivotally interconnecting the upper portions ot therespective units to permit adjustment ot one unit to a horizonu tal andthe other to a plane at an angle to j the horizontal, and means toeffect secureinent et the units in their adjusted posi-- tion;

ln vehicle ot the class described the combination with a body; of a sideclosure intermediate its longitudinal edges to form upper and lowerunits normally disposed with their adjacent edges in abutting relation,means pivotally interconnecting the upper portions ot the respectiveunits to permit adjustment ot the lower unit to a horizontal pla-nc, andthe upper unit to the position initially occupied by the lower unit andmeans in connection withktached at their opposite ends to the upper edgeof the upper unit to permit adjustment of the lower unit to a horizontalplane and the upper unit to the position initially occupied by the lowerunit and means for retaining the respective units in their adjustedposition.

5. In a vehicle of the class described the combination with a body 5 ofa side closure collapsible intermediate its edges to form upper andlower units, normally disposed with their adjaeent edges in abuttingrelation, ineans pirotalljr interconnecting the upper portion ot therespective units to permit adjustment of the lower unit to a horizontalplane and the upper unit with its longitudinal edge adjacent that of thelower unit and at an angle to the plane of said unit and ineans inconnection with the re.- spective units to secure thorn in adjustedposition. Y

6. In a vehicle of the character described the combine-tion with a bodyincluding a floor7 top and side Closures collapsible intermediate theirlongitudinal edges; of means pivotally interconnecting the upper edgesoit the units of the respective side closures to enable the lower unitsto be horizontally positioned with their longitudinal edges in adjacentrelation and the upper units in the position initiallyv occupied hv thelower units, to a stretcher degli with side units disposed at itslongitudinal edges and ineans Jor securing the units in adjustedposition.

7. n e. rehicle of the character described the combination with a bodyincluding a Hoor, a top and side closures embodying uppei` lower andintermediate side units n-ornnilljv positioned with their adjacent edgesin abutting relation; ot' ineens piiotalljvv interthe upper edge of (theuppee` and intermediate units of each side closure to enable adjustmentoi the intermediate units to a horizontal-position with adjacent edgesin meeting relation and the upper units in the position initiallyoccupied bij the intermediate units to forni a stretcher declwith theintermediate units of the sidi closures disposed along the longitudnaledges oi the deck and ineans to secure the respectii'e units in theiradjusted position.

JOHN FLETCHER.

